Evan Brightly - The Narrator

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The Narrator is, at least, one of my most anticipated physical albums in the past few years.  Based out of Arizona, Evan Brightly found me on MySpace – one of those bands.  I try to give everyone a listen before I discredit mass-adders, and usually the groups I come across are complete flops.

Evan Brightly is far from.

Though Evan Brightly is, as far as I can tell, a fictional character, he’s taken on an identity of his own with his own pictures, speech patterns, and story.  I was intrigued by the artistic set-up of the group’s page when it found me in 2008, and the preview tracks had me hooked.  The mysterious nature of the project had the effect that it probably was supposed to.  I wanted this music, these pictures, more information.  I waited and waited for the physical release of the album, and when it showed up at the post office, I could barely sit still in class.

The first listen didn’t disappoint.

Putting slow, melodic songs next to powerful, emotional thundering is something these boys are doing well.  Sometimes they even manage it in the same song (such as the album’s opener, Love is a Perfect Thing.)  With a sound somewhere between Minus the Bear and Final Fantasy, it doesn’t rush at you from behind, but there’s a bit of a kick to go with their classic sound.  The vocals are imperfect, or at least leave a little something to be desired by an audience so used to hyper-production.  The songs feel a little empty sometimes, like a three-minute track could be so much better if they pushed the seven-minute envelope.  Occasionally I want more instruments, more meat on the bones.  But these elements all fit so well together that you barely notice them if you’re not looking for something to nitpick – its sometimes-minimalist sound still comes together into something so full.

What I most admire about the project, though, is that it’s something that perhaps falls into the “art rock” category.  The album the group’s twelve-track debut, yes, but the band is something much larger.  The songs are supplemented by chapters in an optionally-accompanying book, also entitled The Narrator (which I haven’t had a chance to read, but their blog excerpts are philosophically fascinating, and Christmas is here and maybe I’ll treat myself eventually.)  The paintings gracing both the album and the book are all original works, beautiful and provoking all at once, and have as much to do with Evan Brightly as the music does.

In that respect, I couldn’t not take time this year to congratulate Evan Brightly on what they’ve done so far.  Sometimes “Evan” will post a musing on the MySpace page and be met with loyal fans waxing poetic back at him; the paintings are posted and looked at in a critical way.  The music is serious and makes the listener think, especially if she has engaged herself in the rest of the Evan Brightly universe.

This is, dare I say, one of the most intelligent releases I’ve come across in years.

In terms of longevity, I’m a little fearful for these guys.  They’ve put mountains of work into The Narrator, and it shows, but it’s a little hard to rebound and put that much unique effort into a second project when so much has ridden on the first.  I think it’ll be a challenge for this Phoenix outfit not to recycle itself back into the machine, but that doesn’t change my opinion.

Best of luck, Evan.

Cheers.

Links:  Official Site • MySpace • Facebook • Twitter • Last.fm